Council for Court Excellence

The Youth Justice Committee met last week for our Q2 meeting. We were grateful to have Tia Bell, Founder of The T.R.I.G.G.E.R. Project, as our guest speaker for Gun Violence Awareness Month.

The True Reasons I Grabbed the Gun Evolved from Risks (T.R.I.G.G.E.R) Project aims to denormalize and destigmatize gun violence in communities of color across the nation.

➡️ To learn more about Tia's work, visit: https://thetriggerproject.org/

➡️ If you're looking to join the Youth Justice Committee contact Magdalena at [email protected]

CCE is pleased to welcome our newest members to the Board of Directors, effective June 9:
👤 Brian Ferguson, Georgetown University
👤 Bianca M. Forde, Otis Elevator
👤 Hon. Elana S. Suttenberg, D.C. Superior Court

We are also proud to welcome Dunn Isaacson Rhee LLP to CCE’s Board, represented by Annelise Corriveau and William A. Isaacson.

CCE’s Board of Directors brings together a distinguished and diverse group of legal, business, and civic sector leaders who help guide our work to make D.C.’s unique legal systems more just, equitable, and accountable to the community.

Please join us in welcoming these new leaders to CCE!

Today is the DC primary election, and we encourage every eligible voter to use their voice and VOTE!

We hope you had a chance to watch our public forums, where many of the candidates shared their visions for public safety, justice, and the future of the District.

This is an important election, and your vote helps shape what comes next for our communities. Make a plan, cast your ballot, and make your voice heard!

Pride Month is a celebration we’re glad to be part of, but it is also a reminder of the work still needed to ensure equal justice for LGBTQ+ people.

Research from the Williams Institute found that le***an, gay, and bisexual people are incarcerated at approximately 3 times the rate of the general U.S. population. The same study also found that incarcerated sexual minorities are more likely to experience mistreatment, harsh punishment, and sexual victimization than straight inmates.

For transgender people, the disparities are also stark. One in six transgender people have been incarcerated at some point in their lives, including nearly half of Black transgender people.

These disparities matter. They remind us that access to justice is not only about what happens in courtrooms, but also about how people are treated across every part of the legal system.

A few weeks ago, we gathered for CCE’s 29th Annual Justice Potter Stewart Award Dinner, an evening dedicated to celebrating leadership, service, and the ongoing work of strengthening justice in the District.

Thank you to our honorees, sponsors, guests, board members, and supporters for making the evening so special. Your partnership helps fuel CCE’s work to build a more fair, equitable, and effective justice system for all District residents.

Swipe through for a few moments from the evening. ✨

Still deciding whom to vote for in this year’s primary elections? ⬇️

Most of the candidates for D.C. Mayor and Congressional Delegate joined CCE (and our partners!) for public forums to share their visions for public safety, justice, and the future of the District.

Watch the forums here:
🎥 Congressional Delegate Candidate Forum: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S7usRUgOoQ
🎥 Mayoral Candidate Forum: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14953-UhgJg

As the D.C. Council deliberates on the FY27 budget, CCE is continuing to advocate for a budget that advances justice, accountability, safety, and access across the District.

Over the past month, we shared testimony before several Council committees focused on the systems that impact incarcerated people, young people, survivors, returning citizens, grieving families, and D.C. residents seeking timely access to justice.

The choices made in this budget will have real consequences for people across the District. We urge the Council to fund solutions that are evidence-based, humane, and responsive to community needs.

D.C.’s court backlog is not just a court operations issue. It is an access to justice issue. 👇

As reported by The Washington Informer, more than 40,000 cases remained unresolved heading into 2026, with felony cases continuing to grow and judicial vacancies contributing to delays across the system.

“When delays become so severe that victims cannot get closure, defendants cannot receive timely trials, witnesses disappear, and judges are forced to triage justice, the issue is no longer administrative,” said Tracy Velázquez, Policy Director at the Council for Court Excellence.

These delays affect every corner of District life, from criminal cases to housing, probate, custody, and family court matters.

CCE will continue advocating for a court system that is fully staffed, timely, accessible, and fair for everyone who depends on it.

Read the full article from The Washington Informer: https://www.washingtoninformer.com/dc-court-system-buckling-backlog/

Workforce barriers continue long after incarceration. In fact, there are more than 40,000 collateral consequences tied to a criminal record in the U.S., many of which directly impact access to employment.

SCHA's report explores how D.C. can strengthen second chance hiring, support justice-impacted individuals, and address ongoing workforce shortages through smarter reentry workforce innovation.

From policy recommendations to lessons learned from other jurisdictions, this report offers an important roadmap for building a stronger and more inclusive workforce ecosystem in D.C.

Read the full report here: https://scha-dc.org/reentryworkforceinnovation/

Graphic: See here
Caption: As we wrap up Mental Health Month, we're thinking about the young people in D.C.'s juvenile justice system who deserve healing, not just supervision.

A 2025 oversight report found that youth at New Beginnings aren't getting the behavioral health care they need. The facility was designed to rehabilitate, but it isn't doing that.

Independent oversight exists to hold systems accountable when they fall short. That's why we're calling for it to be restored.

Read the full report:https://oijjfo.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/oijjfo/publication/attachments/Behavioral%20Health%20Services%20at%20New%20Beginnings%20Final%20Report%20October%2027%2C%202025.pdf